White-tailed Eagle
Haliaeetus albicilla (Linnaeus, 1758)
66–94 cmLength218 cmWingspan4.7 kgWeight
This large raptor has broad wings, a large head and a thick bill, with a white tail in adults.
Busiest months: April–May and September–October · Most records: Sweden, Poland, Finland
Looks like Steller's Sea Eagle
How to identify
Field marks
- Adult tail white
- Adult head and neck paler than body
- Adult bill, legs and feet yellow
- Body mainly rufous
Male, female and young
Female larger than male; young birds have darker bills, legs and feet, and their tails do not turn white with black stripes until the immature stage.
Similar species
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: April–May and September–October · Most records: Sweden, Poland, Finland
White-tailed Eagle has been recorded at 884 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 56 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
To protect this bird from disturbance, we don't list exact sites.
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), sometimes known as the "sea eagle", is a large bird of prey, widely distributed across temperate Eurasia. Like other eagles, it is a member of the family Accipitridae (or accipitrids) which also includes other diurnal raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers. One of up to eleven members in the genus Haliaeetus, which are commonly called sea eagles, it is also referred to as the white-tailed sea-eagle.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the White-tailed Eagle?
The White-tailed Eagle is about 66–94 cm long, with a wingspan of 218 cm and weighs around 4.7 kg.
Where does the White-tailed Eagle live?
Its breeding range: Palearctic: widespread. It is most often recorded in Sweden, Poland and Finland.
When is the best time to see the White-tailed Eagle?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April, May, September and October (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the White-tailed Eagle endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the White-tailed Eagle as Least Concern.
What does the White-tailed Eagle eat?
Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.
What family is the White-tailed Eagle in?
It belongs to the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae), order Accipitriformes.
At a glance
- Length
- 66–94 cm
- Wingspan
- 218 cm
- Weight
- 4.7 kg
- Habitat
- Rocky terrain
- Diet
- Fish, shrimp & shellfish
- Lifestyle
- Feeds in the air
- Migration
- Partial migrant
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 600 mm
- Tail
- 294 mm
- Bill
- 74 mm
- Tarsus
- 95 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Palearctic: widespread
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Subspecies · 1
- Haliaeetus albicilla albicilla Europe, n Asia to India and China
Classification
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Kites, Hawks, Eagles Accipitridae
- Genus
- Haliaeetus
Other birds in the genus Haliaeetus
Steller's Sea EagleHaliaeetus pelagicus
Pallas's Fish EagleHaliaeetus leucoryphus
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus
Pearl KiteGampsonyx swainsonii
Scissor-tailed KiteChelictinia riocourii
White-tailed KiteElanus leucurus
Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
Black-shouldered KiteElanus axillaris
Letter-winged KiteElanus scriptus
African Harrier-HawkPolyboroides typus
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Bengt Nyman. ↗
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